Before My Body is Dry
by Urby
Summary: The prompt: "Ringabel was initially thrilled when Edea began to adorn the Bravo Bikini in favor of job outfits, but soon it becomes too distracting for him to handle. Also, it doesn't help that the outfit catches everyone's attention."


Author's note: This fic was written with the Japanese version of the Bravo Bikini in mind.

* * *

Edea wore the Bravo Bikini like a trophy.

The first time they returned to the basement laboratory, Edea was reluctant, discomfort obvious in her stiff posture. But in the cycles afterwards, she seemed driven to find and defeat Fiore DeRosa as soon as the group got their bearings.

And she started wearing the Bravo Bikini again. For goodness knows _what_ reason.

Ringabel was pleased and intrigued at first. How couldn't he, when there was so much to capture his gaze - her elegant silhouette, the billowing fabric tied to her hips, the way her stockings bit into her thighs...her thighs. He would look away then.

It started to become a distraction, something he couldn't ignore. The little spot where a ribbon had snagged and disturbed the outfit's symmetry. Sweat trailing down the sharp lines of her shoulder blades. The outfit seemed to beg his eyes travel down the small of her back to her...barely-covered rear, or to her exposed skin of her chest. It took a force of will Ringabel was not entirely sure he possessed to not get lost in such details.

If Edea was aware of the effect she had on him, she did not show it. He assumed it hadn't even crossed her mind. She seemed rather pointedly oblivious to everyone's reactions, honestly. Tiz, being the party's designated healer, had to throw his items _towards_ her because he was trying so hard not to look _at_ her. Ringabel noticed the shepherd's hands fumbling even more than usual and nearly volunteered to take the task of Salve-maker off his hands, but didn't think he would do a much better job. After all, if he was to sit on the back line the whole battle, without anything to occupy his mind...

Even Agnès - reserved, pious Agnès - was ensnared by the allure of the Bravo Bikini. Her attempts to make it look like she wasn't looking at Edea were spectacular, and would have been a laughing matter if they weren't trying to work together as a unit to survive in battle. Agnès kept getting distracted whenever Edea moved - ribbons and bows whipping with the speed of her motions - and as a result the Vestal's magic was often aimed a little strangely.

And how the Bravo Bikini...no, Edea commanded everyone's gaze whenever they went into town...well, Ringabel had no idea how she couldn't notice that. She certainly didn't seem to be acting like it was all a joke - he liked to think he could tell by now when she was doing that. This time, however, he had no idea what was going on in her mind. He began to worry, especially considering the fact that she kept deflecting questions about it.

Coupled with her sudden vindictive edge against the Red Mage...Ringabel wasn't sure what she was thinking, but he wasn't sure he liked what he could understand.

Edea was as reckless in battle as ever, perhaps even more so, charging ahead of everyone else to slice at their foes, dodging sprays of ichor before they could ruin her outfit. It _bothered_ him, how much she seemed to know she looked a certain way while at the same time _not_ knowing about it. And when she inevitably did get splattered with monster blood, she simply smeared it with a hand and continued on.

There was the issue, perhaps. She didn't seem to _care_ about how she looked, and that honestly frightened him. The repeated cycles were wearing on the spirits of the whole group, without a doubt, but this was a level of ennui that did not suit someone like her.

"Are you alright, Edea?"

"I'm fine."

"Well...are you sure...?"

"What, this? It'll wash out when we make camp. Let's move on."

The blood dried and cracked in the sun, and eventually Edea was able to scrape most of it off of her body. Ringabel acted then, shedding his Freelancer jacket and wrapping it around her.

Edea started, as if she would fling him off of her. "What are you -!?"

"For your _protection_," he said, keeping his hands on her shoulders for a moment.

It was a rather transparent lie and everyone realized it, but it quieted the group regardless. Edea tied the jacket to her neck silently and did not say much of anything for the rest of the day.

They made camp that night near a river, and Edea washed the Bravo Bikini far away from anyone else. Then, in the morning, she put the outfit at the bottom of her camp pack and went to battle wearing her Valkyrie uniform.


End file.
